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Enjoy your favorite live music without sacrificing comfort or safety.
There’s nothing quite like seeing your favorite band or artist perform live, but concerts are often extremely loud—sometimes to the point of discomfort. The CDC explains that if you’re exposed to noise levels over 70 decibels for a prolonged period of time, it may start to damage your hearing, which is why many people chose to wear earplugs for concerts.
Concert earplugs are designed to create an airtight seal in the ear canal, helping to block out some of the noise while still allowing you to enjoy the music. These earplugs come in a variety of styles, including both reusable and disposable options, and they’re a must-have if you regularly attend loud concerts or other events.
There are a few factors you’ll want to think about as you shop for earplugs for concerts. First, you’ll want to decide if you prefer single-use or reusable earplugs. Disposable options are often inexpensive and you don’t have to worry about losing them, but you’ll go through a lot of them if you attend concerts regularly. Reusable earplugs, on the other hand, are more eco-friendly.
There’s also the matter of how much noise the earplugs actually block. Most products list their noise-reduction capabilities in decibels and earplugs can block anywhere from 10 to 35 dB of noise. You may also see products that list a “Noise Reduction Rating,” or NRR, which indicates the average sound level reduction the earplugs offered in laboratory testing.
Finally, you may want to look for earplugs with a high-fidelity design. While standard earplugs often result in a muffled sound, high-fidelity products lower the noise level without impacting the sound quality, making them preferable for concerts.
To find the best earplugs for concerts, we looked at products from a range of well-known brands, including Loop, Alpine, 3M, Eargasm, and more, only selecting options with an average customer rating of 4 stars or higher. We evaluated each product based on its noise-reduction abilities, design, ease of use, and cost, selecting earplugs that are both comfortable and convenient to use during concerts. We selected products in multiple styles to fit every need, as well as options that block different amounts of noise.
For more great ways to drown out the din, check out our picks for the best hearing protection options for home and DIY projects, the best noise-canceling headphones, and the best bone conduction headphones.
Loop Earplugs are a favorite among concert-goers thanks to their comfortable high-fidelity design. These earplugs have a noise-reduction rating of 18 decibels, and they come with four ear tip sizes, allowing you to select the option that best fits your ears. The product comes in a variety of colors, and it comes with a convenient carrying case that you can store in your bag or pocket.
These earned our Best Overall pick because of their high ratings for comfort, that their acoustic design doesn’t lessen sound quality at concerts, and that these earplugs can be reused again and again.
If you’re looking for a pair of inexpensive earplugs for occasional use, the Alpine PartyPlug is affordable and can be reused up to 100 times. These earplugs are made from the brand’s hypoallergenic material that molds to your ear, and they reduce the noise level by 19 decibels.
The high-fidelity design includes a patented music filter that keeps sound quality at its best, and the product even comes with a compact carrying case that you can clip onto your keychain or bag.
For those who don’t go to concerts frequently, the 3M Disposable Earplugs are inexpensive and convenient to use. They have high noise-reduction capabilities, blocking out up to 32 decibels of sound, and they’re made from a soft foam that expands in your ear, conforming to the shape of your ear canal for a tight seal. These single-use earplugs come four pairs to a pack and they’re easy to insert and remove.
The Vibes Earplugs are designed to be extremely discreet—so much so that most people won’t even realize you’re wearing them, thanks to their low-profile design. These high-fidelity earplugs can reduce noise by up to 22 decibels, and their outer sound tube is transparent, making them virtually invisible.
The earplugs come with three tip sizes so you can find the option that feels the most comfortable, and they come with a hard carrying case as well.
The only downside is that the sound tube is fairly small, which can sometimes make these earplugs harder to remove than other options.
You can protect your children’s ears at concerts with these Alpine Pluggies earplugs for kids. These earplugs are designed for children between the ages of 5 and 12, and they can also be used by adults with small ear canals. The product has a noise-reduction rating of 25 decibels, and the earplugs are made from the brand’s signature hypoallergenic material.
In addition to being useful in noisy environments, these earplugs are ideal for swimming, as they’re waterproof and will keep water out of your children’s ears.
It’s easy to keep your DownBeats Earplugs from getting beaten up in the bottom of your bag, thanks to their hard aluminum carrying case, which will resist bangs and bumps. These reusable earplugs are made from clear silicone, and their low-profile design makes them a discreet option to wear at concerts.
They reduce noise levels by 18 decibels, and their high-fidelity design won’t muffle the music. The carrying case also has a convenient clip that you can attach to your keys or belt loop, and there are several case colors available as well.
If you tend to lose your earplugs, these Peltor Sport Tri-Flange Earplugs have a corded design that keeps the two ear pieces tethered together. This way, if one falls out of your ear, it won’t go very far. These reusable earplugs have a NRR of 26 decibels, and they come with three pairs per pack.
They have a triple-flange design for a more comfortable fit, and the polymer material can be washed and reused multiple times. However, they are one-size-fits-all, which may not be comfortable for those with smaller ear canals.
For those who prefer foam earplugs, the Mack's Ultra Soft Foam Earplugs are a top-rated option. These inexpensive earplugs come in a pack of 50 pairs, and they’re made from a soft polyurethane foam that expands to fit your ear canal.
They have the highest available NRR—33 decibels—but keep in mind that they’re not high-fidelity, so they’ll muffle the noise at a concert. These earplugs are single-use, and their beige color makes them less noticeable while they’re in your ears.
If you’ve found that most earplugs are uncomfortable to wear, you may want to try the Decibullz Custom Molded Earplugs. These unique earplugs are made from thermoplastic, and you’re able to warm up the material and mold it to fit your ear exactly. They also come with three sets of triple-flange tips for a more comfortable fit.
The earplugs reduce noise levels by 31 decibels, and you can also re-mold them as needed for a perfect fit. However, some people do mention that the molding process can be a bit tricky, especially if you don’t have someone to help you.
If most earplugs hurt your ears because they’re too big, the Eargasm Smaller Ears Earplugs will likely offer a more comfortable fit—these earplugs are designed specially to fit the smallest 20 percent of ear canals.
These reusable silicone earplugs have a clear design that makes them discreet to wear, and they’re able to reduce noise by up to 21 decibels. Each set comes with two tip sizes, and you’ll also get a hard waterproof case for easy storage.